If you're anything like me, a lot of times you're creating your own resources or printing a copy of the test to run off the night before so there's not a scramble the next morning. Whatever it is, chances are if you're a teacher, you print stuff, a lot. Many years ago I was in the same situation in college. You take enough engineering labs, you get accustomed to 20 page print-outs. Marketing would tell you that inkjets and their expensive refills are The Way. Not so!

99.999% of the things I created in college were black and white, so 8 years ago I invested in a LaserJet 1012 that I found on sale. They do exist! HP always has one low-end model around which is not low-end. Often times they'll go on sale ($120 or even $99 compared with $149 retail). Yes, refills are $80/pop but I've only done that 3 times.

School has a couple laser printers per department in each department office. Super! Except if you're on the other side of the world from the department office.

So I wandered around Best Buy and found a LaserJet 1102 (the current low end) on sale for $99. Saves me on a regular basis from the inevitable horror that is not making enough copies of a test/worksheet.

Why do this and other crazy things like the podium and a high-powered markup language for my tests? I sweat the small stuff like razor sharp text.